SBIR Phase I: A study of the electromechanical failure modes in HASEL actuators

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to advance the development of mechanical devices used in robotics systems. Despite advancements in AI and computer vision, robots and machines are still limited by the actuators used: Motors are heavy, expensive, and not adaptable for variable tasks, while pneumatics are plagued by trade-offs between speed and portability, low efficiency, and controllability. This Phase I project focuses on the development of Hydraulically Amplified Self-Healing ELectrostatic (HASEL) actuators - a new class of self-sensing, high-speed, soft electrohydraulic actuators with benefits in high performance, low cost, and versatility. Phase I will address the failure mechanisms of HASEL actuators in order to improve reliability and robustness for applications including industrial automation, consumer robotics, and defense. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to investigate and enhance the electromechanical performance of HASEL actuators to evaluate their long-term commercial viability. The three key objectives of this project are: 1) Studying the dielectric characteristics of the HASEL actuators using material science approaches to enhance the breakdown strength of actuators, (2) Investigating the influence of inhomogeneous electric field concentration on HASEL actuators using electromechanical testing to further mitigate the influence of such effects, and, 3) Translating the results from objectives 1 and 2 to develop and characterize HASEL actuators using industrially-relevant metrics such as force output, lifetime, and specific energy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.